1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a print control system, a print control method, and a computer program product.
2. Description of the Related Art
A CMYK color space mainly used by a multifunction peripheral (MFP) or a printer that prints image data is a color space (a device-dependent color space) depending on an output device (an output device that performs printing). Accordingly, printed colors are different depending on the output device even if the same CMYK data (image data in the CMYK color space) is printed. To match intended colors among a plurality of output devices, known is a color management technology via a device-independent color space. Examples thereof include a color management system (CMS) using an International Color Consortium (ICC) profile. Image data (hereinafter, referred to as “general-purpose RGB data”) in a general RGB color space (hereinafter, referred to as a general-purpose RGB color space) such as an sRGB or the Adobe (registered trademark) RGB has a very large color gamut (range of color reproduction; Gamut) as compared to the color space of the output device. To print the general-purpose RGB data by the output device, known is a color conversion (color compression) technology from a wide color gamut to a narrow color gamut, which is called gamut mapping.
However, in the related art, there may be a case in which the intended colors do not match among the output devices.
For example, Japanese Patent No. 3980343 discloses a technology for converting input image data to data that can be reproduced by an output device as follows. In the technology of Japanese Patent No. 3980343, input color data is converted to color data that can be reproduced by the output device referring to representative color data after color compression and the color gamut of the device that are stored in advance with respect to a color system of the input color data and a virtual color gamut for each output method.
As described above, to print the input image data by the output devices of which color spaces are different from each other, it is necessary to hold gamut information (definition information of the color gamut) that defines a mapping rule (alternative color) for each output device because shapes of the color gamut are different for each output device. In addition, in the related art, mapping is performed depending on the shape of the color gamut, so that mapped colors are different for each output device. Accordingly, in the related art, intended colors do not match among the output devices. That is, in the related art, reproduced colors for each output device do not match in compatible printing.
In view of such a situation, there is a need to provide a print control system, a print control method, and a computer program product that can match the reproduced colors for each output device.